


i am her

by stormyhearts



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Trans Adora (She-Ra)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-08 02:31:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21228326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stormyhearts/pseuds/stormyhearts
Summary: Catra is the first person Adora confides in.She doesn’t really get it—not completely—they’d only ever been taught about biological sexes at the Horde. But she’s still supportive, and echoes Adora’s words from all those years ago, “Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other.”(or, in which Adora is trans)





	i am her

**Author's Note:**

> hi, so full disclosure, this is my first ficlet so it's a little rough. but i hope those of you who do read it enjoy it :)

Catra is the first person Adora confides in.

She doesn’t really get it—not completely—they’d only ever been taught about biological sexes at the Horde. But she’s still supportive, and echoes Adora’s words from all those years ago, “Nothing really bad can happen as long as we have each other.”

* * *

The first time Adora truly feels like herself is when she wields She-Ra’s sword. She feels alive and powerful and _beautiful_… and she has to store those thoughts away for later because there’s a giant insectoid creature she needs to deal with right now.

Later when Glimmer calls her a princess, despite the other girl’s bitter tone and the fact that it goes against everything Adora’s been taught at the Horde, she can’t stop the way her heart swells with joy.

* * *

Glimmer and Bow are the next people she tells in the sanctity of Glimmer’s bedroom. She wrings her hands together nervously, preparing for rejection and even disgust when she feels herself being enveloped in a tight hug.

“Thank you for trusting us with this,” Glimmer murmurs into her shoulder, and Adora can’t help but tear up in relief.

She yelps in surprise as she feels something crash against her—Bow joins in on the hug with a loud exclamation of, “Best Friend Squad!”

She sees Glimmer roll her eyes at the corny nickname and Adora laughs like she hasn’t in a long time.

* * *

She asks Glimmer to be her date for Princess Prom, and gets rejected with an apologetic “Sorry, I’m straight.”

It takes Adora a moment before recognition dawns in her eyes and she smiles widely. Glimmer beams back at her.

“How about we go as friends instead?” She offers tentatively.

“I’d like that.”

* * *

Princess Prom is the first time Adora feels comfortable in her own skin and not just She-Ra’s. Her dress has a simple-cut and is the same red as her Horde-issued jacket, but she can’t help but run her hands over the soft material in amazement. Sure she’d had to turn in her sword at the entrance and there had been that blunder with Frosta, but she’s certain nothing could sour her good mood. At least, she is until she hears a familiar, decidedly feline voice.

“Hey, Adora.”

* * *

Spending time trailing after Catra was not how she envisioned spending her first ball, but it can’t be helped. Adora apologises hurriedly as she pushes past a random partygoer, but looks around only to realise that she’s lost track of her target.

“Hey!” She hears an angry voice cry out as a hand latches onto her shoulder and spins her around.

“Didn’t your parents teach you any manners…” He trails off, his expression shifting into one of confusion. “A dress… but aren’t you a boy?”

Adora feels her stomach clench and tries to quell the bile rising in her throat. Before she can come up with a response, Catra drops down from the balcony, landing in between them.

“Hasn’t anyone ever taught you to mind your business?” She retorts, slinging her arm around Adora’s shoulders. “We’re orphans by the way.” She adds a matter-of-factly.

Catra smirks as the man’s face pales and he mutters a quick apology before leaving. Adora finds herself actually grateful for her ex-friend’s presence and almost complains when the other girl steps away, ending the contact.

“Hey.”

Adora looks up into mismatched eyes.

“You okay?”

She feels grow self conscious under Catra’s scrutiny and snaps, “I’m fine.”

“Jeez, I don’t know why I even bothered helping.”

“Catra, I’m—” Adora begins to apologise, immediately remorseful, but she’s already gone.

Her guilt all but dissipates when Scorpia’s bombs go off and she and Catra make off with the sword and Adora’s unconscious best friends.

* * *

The Battle of Bright Moon ends with the newly reunited Princess Alliance successfully defending their base against the invasion from the Horde, and Adora standing over a beaten and bruised Catra. She can’t help but reminisce over everything that happened since they’d last fought for the same side and Adora wonders what her life would have been like if not for Catra.

_Would she have come out to another person if Catra had not been so accepting? _

_Would she have found the sword if they hadn’t flown out to the Whispering Woods together? _

_Would she have met Bow or Glimmer or any of the other princesses if not for her? _

_Would she have become the person she is today? _

A grunt from Catra breaks her out of her reverie and she looks down to see the other girl struggling to her feet.

“You okay?” She asks.

“I’m fine,” Catra snaps unconvincingly. “You hit like a girl.”

“I _am_ a girl,” Adora shrugs, extending her hand out to her.

Catra is silent for a moment.

“Fair point,” she concedes, accepting Adora’s help, and she allows herself to be escorted into the palace.

Later that night, Adora stares wistfully at Catra, who lays curled up at the foot of her bed. She’s snoring softly but Adora is not so naïve as to forget that there is a decent chance that the other girl could be back in the Fright Zone by the time Adora wakes up the next morning.

Still, she had fought against Queen Angella’s decision to throw Catra into a prison cell, which had turned out to be just a glorified guest room anyway. If her ex-friend didn’t want to stay or join the Rebellion, Adora knew she couldn’t force her to.

Sighing softly, she glances at Catra once more before settling into bed herself. The future was still so uncertain but she would allow herself to hope.

Maybe she could be happy.


End file.
